Thank you Greg. That's about as close as I can get with my phone before it stops focusing. I'll dig out my camera and see if I can get something closer. The first number/letter does appear to be rounded like an 8.

the following EK 2 has popped up on a local auction server. As the seller asks for it more than 100 euro (a truly exorbitant amount by local standards), I am quite curious about its particular maker. Unfortunately, I can't figure out the maker's mark (nor the stamp on the loop ring) and the core seems unfamiliar to me either.
I would be therefore much obliged for any opinions on the maker of this particular cross.

Miro, Chopperman: Thank you for your helpful posts and the quick identification. I guess it partially explains the price, even though 110 € is still too much, if you ask me. But just a couple days ago I saw a regular Friedländer EK1 sold for 279 € on German Ebay, so maybe everything is possible these days. :-)